Page 68 of The Herlequin: Pitch & Sickle 6

‘You tell me. They had been holding to the west for a long while but suddenly diverted, intent on a woodland area to the south-east. I tried to get close enough to learn why only to discover they have their own elemental with them. An airy little cow who knows how to whip up a decent storm front.’

‘A woodland?’ Silas did not think he could grow any colder. His gaze shifted to the carriage. Pitch stared back at him from behind the glass, his expression grim.

‘That’s what I said.’ Matilda watched him too. ‘What went on there?’

‘We had an incident…Pitch was hurt. A hunter’s trap– ’

‘And he bled…no small amount either.’ Sybilla balled her fists. ‘Shit. Are they using blood magick to guide them?’

‘Why are you asking me?’ Matilda scowled. ‘You’re the magick angel.’

‘And angels don’t bleed, we burn,’ Sybilla returned. ‘I don’t understand all the intricacies of blood magick, it’s unique to maleficium. I haven’t exactly had a band of sorcerers to study.’

‘Well, there’s no doubt they use it,’ Silas said. ‘Did you not say it was in the tarts?’

Pitch was slamming down the window before Sybilla could offer a reply.

‘The tarts?’ Snowflakes settled on his nose. ‘Why the blazes did no one mention that to me?’

‘There’s been things to occupy us, in case you haven’t noticed.’ Sybilla frowned at the ground, scratching at her neck absently. ‘Silas, you said they performed a blood ritual at the greensward too?’

He took a breath, forcing back the image of the young man having his throat slit. ‘They did, yes. Though I’m not sure what purpose it served there.’

‘Fortified the circle, fed the panlong…’ Sybilla paced as she muttered.

‘Whatever it was,’ Silas nodded. ‘The sorcerer Nemain has an appetite for bloody magick.’

‘This reminiscence is wonderful, but utterly unhelpful.’ Matilda declared bluntly. ‘Suffice to say, that bunch of misfits have powerful sorcery at their disposal and you need to move along.’ Silas found himself under her watery gaze. ‘The Herlequin is a brute. He’d put you in his shadow, Mercer, and he pushes his riders hard.’ Her gaze shifted to Sybilla. ‘And you have a bleeding daemon in your carriage who may or may not be leading them straight to you.’

‘I’m not bleeding anymore,’ Pitch retorted. ‘I likely have earthworms nesting in the wound from the damned soil, but no bleeding.’

‘But it was.’ Sybilla swore, rubbing at the back of her neck. ‘And there are stains on the seat…the cloths I used…’

‘Your hexes are doing something useful.’ Matilda coughed and the snowflakes shuddered as they fell. ‘Whatever trace of you they have, it’s not strong enough to see them on top of us right now. But how long till that changes?’

‘We need to abandon the carriage,’ Sybilla declared.

‘And then what?’ Silas frowned, gesturing to the landscape that grew increasingly laden with snow. ‘We go on foot?’

‘You fly.’ The elemental declared. ‘The Valkyrie has wings, she needs to use them.’

‘Oh, that is absolutely not happening,’ Pitch declared from the relative comfort of the cabin. ‘I’m not flying.’

But Sybilla was nodding, thoughtful. ‘I can fly them, but not all at once.’

‘Then take who you can, and I’ll put some miserable weather between the hunt and those who stay behind.’ Matilda braced against the rooftop, a weightlifter preparing to rise. ‘Not making any guarantees about it though. Between me and that little bitch with the Hunt, we’re stewing up the weather something awful. Not sure how much control of the elements I’ll be able to keep.’

Pitch gripped the edge of the sill, his face far paler than it had been just a moment before. ‘And where the blazes are you going to flap to, Sybilla? We don’t know where the fuck we are going, and the angel didn’t exactly draw us a map.’

‘There are Order strongholds about, and places safer than this. They’ll have to do for now. I’ll come back for you as soon as I can.’

‘Those bays look rested enough to me,’ Pitch said. ‘I’ll ride.’

‘My gods, this is the fool we are relying on?’ Matilda touched a toe to the edge of the roof, sending a fresh torrent of water downward to where it forced the daemon back into the cabin with an unhappy shout.

‘Can you take Charlie and Edward together?’ Silas asked of Sybilla.

‘Don’t worry about me, Silas.’ Charlie was handling the wild talk of flying far better than the prince. ‘Please just get Edward to –’